I've mentioned before that in the (almost) five years I've been blogging, I've developed friendships with other bloggers where even though we might not have met in real life, they still are special friends in which I hold a tender place in my heart. There is an immediate bond with other bloggers about our common love of food and writing/photographing about it. We'll also share emails to help one another through the technical side of running a blog. These little emails and small gestures of helping each other quickly build a trust between one another.
One of these friends of mine woke up Thanksgiving morning to a phone call about the sudden and unexpected death of her father, with whom she was very very close. Sudden deaths like this hit me hard, especially when they happen to loved ones of friends, even friends I've never met. It's something I've never had to deal, yet, myself. And it's definitely something that I know is inevitable, and I dread it. But, I know there can be hope in it and that hope can be felt when you're surrounded with support.
Because I do not have her address to send flowers, and I live thousands of miles away so I can't attend the funeral, I thought all weekend on how to show my support. That's why today I am taking a break from my blog and encouraging a moment of silence for all of my readers. Furthermore, take a moment to genuinely pray for my friend and her family as they grieve this tragic time in their lives while searching for hope through this. Prayer is big, and I want it to be felt all the way from here (California) to there (Indiana). In the meantime, tell your friends and family you love them because you never know when it will be your last chance.
